Sanitary drinking-fountain.



L. A. COOPER. SANITARY DRINKING FOUNTAIN. APPLICATION FILED IEB.21, 1912.

1,033,063. Patented Ju'ly 16, 1912.

IVITNESSES: LVVENTOR,

' A TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

LESLIE A. COOPER, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHT J'SlElTTS.

SANITARY DRINKING-FOUNTAIN.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESLIE A. CoorER, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Sanitary Drinking-Fountains, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention pertains to the form of devices where water is caused to flow or bubble out of a tubular member which is readily accessible for persons to place the mouth adj acent the outlet and drink the water as it flows.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide in such a device a valve arrangement which will be returned to its seat and held thereon by the pressure of the water, and will be pressed away from said seat to permit the flow of the water by an operating member, in a readily accessible position for the user to swing the member and hold it to retain the valve open while drinking, and which member willpermit the valve to be closed by the force of the water as soon as released. I

A further object is to provide means for readily adjusting the engagement between the operating member and the valve in order to insure the valve being returned to closed position when released. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a form of outlet device wherein a comparatively flat member is used having one or more openings therein and arranged below the top of a bowl or similar member, and a water supply member is arranged in the bowl below such plate wherebythe water will find exit through the opening in the plate, so that the user will find it practically impossible to bring the lips into engagement with the outlet member that would result in germs or the like attaching themselves to the,

outlet member after usage and which might readily engage the lips of the succeeding user of the device, and possibly carry disease.

lVith these objects in view, one form of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical axial section through the device, the bubble member being shown in elevation only. Fig. 2 is a partial plan Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed February 21, 1912.

Patented July 16, 1912.

Serial No. 679,038.

view of the device, with the perforated top plate removed; and Fig. 3 is a section of the body member, with the bowl member removed, on the line 33, Fig. 2.

The device is shown as comprising a body member l that has an axial bore which at the upper portion 5 is threaded, preferably by a large coarse thread as indicated. The body is provided with one or more other passages through it,and is shown as having a practically central tubular portion connected byribs 6 and 7. The water flows in through the central bore and finds eXit through these outer passages. At the top of the body member is a bowl member 8 which is shown as connected with the body member by screw threads, but obviously could be formed integral therewith, if desired. In the body member below the threaded portion is placed a valve member 9 whichmoves upwardly to engage a suitable seat portion, shown as comprising a short sleeve 10 which may be threaded into the threaded bore at' this portion. A chamber 11 in the body below the said seat 10 may contain a short spring 12 engaging the bottom wall of the chamber by one end, and surrounding the valve to engage its head and move it upwardly to its seat. The valve 9 is shown as having a tubular stem 13 with suitable outlets 1 into the chamber near the head, and the stem fits snugly in the bore of the body to guide the valve, the water passing upwardly through the stem and out said holes, and around the head when unseated. But such spring is not necessary, as the head of the water would be usually sufficient to seat the valve when released, the spring insuring its quick and positive closure.

In the threaded bore 5 of the body is a threaded operating member or tube 14 shown as projecting upwardly into the bowl. This member has suitable operating means, shown in the form of arms 15 and 16 extending in opposite directions in close proximity to the inside of the bowl to nearly the top of the bowl; where these arms are connected by a cross member, which might be a perforated plate 17, practically closing the top of the bowl and arranged a short distance below the upper edge of the bowl. When these arms and plate are swung, as by knobs 18 and 19, the tube 14 will move downwardly for the purpose of engaging and unseating the valve 9; and adjustable connection be tween such two members being provided and shown in the form of a screw 20 turn ing in the threaded reduced bore of the tube 5 to engage the upper extremity of the valve 9. It will be observed that a screw driver can be passed down through the tube 14: to engage this adjusting screw 20 to insure the proper connection between the tube 14 and the valve. Means are preferably provided for returning the operating member to re-' lease the valve and permit it to seat after the operator is through with the device; and a coil spring 21 is shown surrounding the upper part of the operating tube l t with one end secured in the body and the other end connected with the arm 16. This spring will normally retain the operating member with this arm engaging a stop pin 23 in the bowl; when the knob 19 is moved away from this screw 23, the tube let will move downwardly and the valve will be forced down from its seat, permitting the water to flow up through a suitable inlet pipe 24 and through the valve stem, around the valve and up tlnrough openings 25 in the lower portion of the tube l-i and out into the bowl. As soon as the knobs are released, the coil spring 21 will swing the operating member back to its former position, and the valve will be released, to be again seated by the pressure of the water, assisted by the action of its spring.

A suitable drinking or bubble device B is attached to the upper end of the tube 14, and located below the perforated plate 17; preferably having its exit alining with an opening 26 in the plate 17 to permit the water to flow therethrough; but such plate being below the top of the bowl, the water will pass back through the openings in the plate into the bowl and around the arms and find exit down through the body member, and through an outlet tube 28 connected therewith.

In the use of this device, it is only necessary to grasp one or both of the knobs l8 and swing the operating member, that will force the valve down oil" from its seat, permitting the water to flow up through the bubble member and through the perforated plate; and this can be readily reached by the user, and the surplus water will flow back through the other openings in the plate and down through the body member to the eXittube, without any of the water being spilled outside of the bowl.

It will be manifest that the valve is retained seated by the pressure of the water in addition to that of its spring, and that no adjustment is needed on account of wear of the valve; but the connection between the operating member and the valve is readily adjustable so that the valve is opened at the proper point in the opening movement of the operating member, yet is left free to be closed by the water when the operating member is returned to normal position.

It will be observed that the plate 17 OX- tends substantially entirely across the bowl a short distance below its upper edge, and that the water supply member in the bowl is arranged entirely below this plate, whereby it is absolutely impossible for the user to bring the lipsor to engage the water supply member in any manner; the water flowing up through the registering opening 26 will pass a short distance upward, and then with the arrangements shown of numerous perforations in the plate the water will flow outwardly over the plate and go back through these perforations; and in the act of drinking the lips will probably be brought over to engage the top portion of the stream of water flowing upward through this opening 26, but neither the lips nor any part of the face would be at all likely to be brought to engage the plate 17. Therefore, there is little chance of germs or matter of any character attaching themselves to the plate from the face of the user; and it is further impossible for mischievous persons to place a finger on the outlet and by reducing the opening cause a squirting effect of the water.

I claim 1. A valve body having a bowl portion at the top, the body having a threaded axial bore and one or more other passages through it, a valve seat in the bore below the threaded portion, a valve in the bore movable to engage the seat by upward movement, a hollow threaded operating member turning in the threaded bore to engage and unseat: the valve when advanced, a bubble member on the operating member in the bowl, the operating member having arms projecting upwardly adjacent the bowl, and a perforated plate supported on the arms below the top of the bowl and above the bubble member.

2. A valve body having a bowl portion at the top, the body having a threaded axial bore and one or more other passages through it, a valve seat in the bore below the threaded portion, a valve in the bore movable to engage the seat by upward movement, a hollow threaded operating member turning in the threaded bore to engage and unseatthe valve when advanced, a bubble member on the operating member in the bowl, the ope "ating member having an adjustable portion which engages the valve.

8. A valve body having a bowl portion at the top, the body having a threaded axial bore and one or more other passages through it, a valve seat in the here below the thread ed portion, a valve in the bore movable to engage the seat by upward movement, a hollow threaded operating member turning in the threaded bore and having its bore threaded, an adjusting screw in the latter threaded bore arranged to engage the valve when the operating member is advanced to unseat the valve, and a bubble member on the operating member in the bowl.

\ 4. A valve body having a bowl portion at the top, the body having a threaded axial bore and one or more other passages through it, a valve seat in the bore below the threaded portion, a valve in the bore movable to engage the seat by upward movement, a hollow threaded operating member turning in the threaded bore and having its bore threaded, an adjusting screw in the latter threaded bore arranged to engage the valve when the operating member is advanced to unseat the valve, a bubble member on the operating member in the bowl, the operating member having arms projecting upwardly adjacent the bowl, and a perforated plate supported on the arms below the top of the bowl and above the bubble member.

5. A valve body having a bowl portion at the top, the body having a threaded axial bore and one or more other passages through it, a valve seat in the bore below the threaded portion, a valve in the bore movable to engage the seat by upward movement, a hollow threaded operating member turning in the threaded bore and having its bore threaded, an adjusting screw in the latter threaded bore arranged to engage the valve when the operating member .is advanced to unseat the valve, a bubble member on the operating member in the bowl, the operating member having arms projecting upwardly adjacent the bowl, a perforated plate supported on the arms below the top of the bowl and above the bubble member, and a coil spring on the body arranged to swing the operating member to release the valve.

6. In a sanitary drinking fountain, the combination of a bowl, a perforated plate extending across the bowl a short distance below its top edge, a water supply member carried by the bowl and entirely below the perforated plate and having its outlet arranged to cause the water to pass through a certain portion of the plate from the lower side whereby the water will flow over the plate and find exit into the bowl through the openings in the plate beyond said certain portion.

7. In a sanitary drinking fountain, the combination of a bowl, a substantially fiat perforated plate extending entirely across the bowl below its top edge, a water supply member carried by the bowl and located entirely below the perforated plate and having its outlet arranged to cause the water to pass through a. certain portion of the plate fro-m the lower side whereby the water will flow over the plate and find exit back into the bowl through the opening in the plate beyond said certain portion.

8. In a sanitary drinking fountain, the combination of a bowl, a substantially flat perforated plate extending entirely across the bowl below its top edge, a water supply member carried by the bowl and located entirely below the perforated plate and having its outlet arranged to cause the water to pass through a certain portion of the plate from the lower side whereby the water will flow over the plate and find exit back into the bowl through the opening in the plate beyond said certain portion, the perforated plate being supported to be swung in its plane, a valve in the water supply member, and connections between the perforated plate and the valve member for causing'the swinging of the plate to open and close the valve.

9. In a sanitary drinking fountain, the combination of a bowl, a perforated plate extending across the bowl a short distance below its top edge, a water supply member carried by the bowl and located entirely below the perforated plate and having its outlet arranged to cause the water to pass through the plate from the lower side, and means providing an exit for the water.

10. In a sanitary drinking fountain, the combination of a bowl, a perforated plate extending across the bowl a short distance below its top edge, a water supply member carried by the bowl and located entirely below the perforated plate and having its outlet arranged to cause the water to pass through the plate from the lower side, means providing an exit for the water, the

perforated plate being supported to be swung in its plane, a valve in the water supply member, and connections bet-ween the perforated plate and the valve member for causing the swinging of the plate to open and close the valve.

Signed by me at Springfield, Mass, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LESLIE A. COOPER.

WVitnesses:

G. R. DRISOOLL, WM. S. BELLOWS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

